>Something Else to NEEDLE You Over

>If you look to the long list of stuff I have links to on the right of this page, you’ll see a link to a new magazine called NEEDLE. The debut issue is just now available, and looks like this:

This is a project I got to see happen right from the moment the idea was dreamed up, and some very energetic folks picked up the ball and just flatout made it happen. One of the guys behind the whole project, a writer named John Hornor, blogged about it — and besides just linking to his post I’m going to re-post the whole thing right here, because he tells the story better than I can. Dig it:

I don’t ask you for stuff very often, do I? I don’t barrage you with requests to view this, or vote for that, or sign up to this, or become a fan of that, now do I? No, I don’t. Why? Because I’m cool like that.

But all that is gone, now. I asking you to buy something. Something I’ve worked very hard on. That both Steve Weddle and I (plus Scott D. Parker, Naomi Johnson, and good ole Dan O’Shea) have worked very hard on. That the respective authors worked hard on.

It’s chock full of great crime stories. Fifteen of them from rising names in the crime fiction field. It’s got a snazzy cover and easy to read layout. I think it’s pretty classy, actually.

And all this for only 7 dollars. How’s that? What a great price. Tack on $3 for shipping, and still, it’s a great price.

Here’s the deal: crime fiction publishing works different than all other sorts of short fiction venues in that pro authors, agented authors who have forthcoming novels and publishing history, will agree to be in a magazine without recompense. You don’t see that in SF or Horror. I don’t know why, but even brainiacs like Nick Mamatas have posited this, and if he’s said it, it HAS to be true.

Anyway, with Needle, this is totally a flying-by-the-seat-of-our-pants, hair-brained project that we thought would be fun. It’s a little more work than we anticipated, but isn’t everything? If you buy one and read it, you’ll see it’s the real deal though, filled with great stories. Any revenue (which won’t be much, let me tell you) will be put back into the magazine to start doing one of two thing, (1) begin funding contributor copies, (2) begin paying authors. (2) is problematic. When you’re only making $1 per unit, you have to move shitloads to make ends meet.

But we’re gonna try. And it starts right here. With you making clicky on this link.

I’d sure like to see this thing succeed, for reasons beyond my own selfish hope to take up some paragraphs of space in future issues with my own work. Crime writers need more print options for publication, and it would sure be nice if an actual paying market could be carved out for that work. I ordered my copy, and after shipping it was just over $10, I think. It would sure be awesome if some of you who read this blog who aren’t already familiar with NEEDLE MAGAZINE would give this thing a try. It will be well worth it, trust me.